1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention generally pertains to a scent handling device for wild game and more specifically to a scent-handling device that can be reconfigured between an operative aerating mode and a sealed mode.
2. Description of Related Art
Hunters often use scents when hunting deer, elk, bear, and various other big game. Currently, there are a wide variety of scents available for different animals and for affecting them in different ways. For example, cover scents are for covering or masking a hunter's natural odor that might otherwise alert an animal to danger. Food attractants, such as honey, apple, or corn; sexual attractants, such as estrus urine; and curiosity scents, such as grease, tend to attract an animal to within striking range of the hunter.
Scents are often in liquid form and are dispersed from a bottle directly onto trees, brush or on the ground itself in an area that would place an attracted animal in clear view of a hunter lying in wait. If no game is attracted to the scent within a reasonable period, the hunter may move on to another location, thus wasting any remaining scent left behind.
To avoid wasting scent, some hunters will dispense a scent into a container that is left on the ground or loosely hung from a tree branch or wire fence. Later, any unused scent (e.g., not yet evaporated) can be recovered by placing a cap on the container or by pouring the scent back into the scent's original dispenser. However, a couple of problems exist with such an approach.
First, when handling multiple containers or dispensers, as well as handling their caps, the liquid scent tends to get on the hunter himself Thus an animal may be drawn to the hunter rather than the hunter's chosen target location. If the animal approaches the hunter from behind, the hunter may never get a clear shot at the animal. Such a problem is especially common when the hunter is wearing gloves that may wick up the liquid scent or may reduce his dexterity for handling the small containers and caps. The problem is also common when there is no convenient place to store a container's cap, which may be covered with scent. If the cap is left loosely on the container, e.g., in a partially open position, the cap may inhibit the scent from freely escaping from the container by obstructing wind that may otherwise draw the scent from the container.
Second, when a scent container or its cap is loosely hung from a tree branch, skittish animals, such as deer, have been known to bolt off upon detecting loose items dangling from a tree.